OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL

STRATEGIC PLAN

(2019-2029)

December 2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWARD – A Message From State Fire Matt Perez …………………………………………………………3

INTRODUCTION-PLAN FORMATION ……………………………………………………………………………………4

OUR MISSION STATEMENT, CORE VALUES, AND ETHOS ……………………………………………………..5

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART …………………………………………………………………………………………………..6

FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET SUMMARY………………………………………………………………………………..7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9

STRATEGIC GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND COURSES OF ACTION.………………………………………………..10

CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………21

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FOREWORD – A message from State Fire Marshal Matt Perez

Greetings. I am pleased to share with you the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s (OSFM) 2018 Strategic Plan. Taking the time to create a strategic plan is vital to the continued success of any agency as it provides a sense of direction and outlines measurable goals. The process we utilized allowed every member of our agency to have a voice in determining divisional strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. This type of participation builds pride, ownership and accountability in the success of our agency.

The value of capturing this information was compounded by our managers who freely and openly interacted during divisional presentations. Ideas were exchanged, recommendations were made, and common themes were formed that were used to create this document. Our Strategic Plan will be useful in guiding day-to-day decisions, evaluating progress and sustaining agency bearing, even during changes of agency leadership.

With every initiative we undertake I continue to be more impressed with the dedication, creativity and the growth potential of the members of our agency. They have risen to every challenge and formed a continuum of success which only magnifies the importance of crafting this document to maintain the momentum they have created. As you read the following pages I believe you will see their genuine concern for public safety as well as their dedication to future improvement.

I would like to express my gratitude to Kathy Dunlap of the OSFM Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Division for her assistance during our strategic planning meetings. I would also like to personally thank Director Royal Mortenson of the Illinois Fire Service Institute and Acting Director William Robertson of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for their unwavering support of our agency and this project.

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INTRODUCTION – PLAN FORMATION In January 2018, State Fire Marshal Matt Perez determined that an agency strategic plan be listed as a priority task item. Throughout the spring and summer of 2018, an executive team consisting of the State Fire Marshal, Deputy Director, Chief of Administration, Chief of Operations, and the Special Projects Manager met to consider our operational environment, appropriate platforms, and logistics to effectuate the creation of an agency strategic plan. On September 24, 2018, the executive team convened a meeting with all agency division managers for the specific purpose of discussing a series of strategic planning sessions that were scheduled for the month of October 2018. During that initial meeting, agency managers were provided with a brief overview of the strategic planning process. They were also instructed regarding the use of certain resource management and planning tools that could assist them with identifying their respective goals and objectives. They were also provided with agency strategic planning templates. At the conclusion of that meeting, agency managers were directed to meet with their subordinates and identify those strategic goals and objectives that they deemed proper for discussion during the October strategic planning sessions. Each agency manager was encouraged to conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis as part of their procedure.

OSFM strategic planning meetings were conducted on October 9, 2018 through October 10, 2018, and again on October 22, 2018 through October 23, 2018. These sessions were held offsite at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency headquarters building located in Springfield, Illinois. Colonel Royal Mortenson, Director of the Illinois Fire Service Institute (USMC retired) served as the moderator at the October 9, 2018 meeting. During all of the sessions, each division manager presented his or her strategic goals and objectives for peer review. All of the presentations and tangibles received were gathered at the conclusion of the meetings.

On October 30, 2018, the executive team met and discussed the information gleaned from the strategic planning sessions. At the conclusion of that meeting the State Fire Marshal directed that the information received be translated into a formal strategic planning document for review by the executive team and all division managers. The draft document was prepared, submitted to the executive team for preliminary review, and released to the division managers for additional feedback on November 29, 2018. All of the responses and comments received from the agency division managers were considered by the executive team and the State Fire Marshal, and factored into the final draft.

The State Fire Marshal officially published the agency’s strategic plan on December 14, 2018.

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT, CORE VALUES, AND ETHOS

Mission Statement

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is dedicated to working with our partners and providing assistance to the fire service in the protection of life, property and the environment, through communication, inspection, investigation, certification, and licensing.

Core Values

Integrity

Commitment to Excellence

Service

Respect

Teamwork

Ethos

Our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct is the standard of behavior that the OSFM expects our employees to adhere to in their daily activities and dealing with others. The Code cannot foresee every situation that might arise, rather, it identifies guiding principles to help employees make decisions consistent with the organization’s values and reputation.

When our organization practices and promotes ethical behavior, everyone benefits. Being honest, forthright and consistent in our dealings with others fosters a positive work environment. An agency that prides itself on integrity inspires confidence in its employees, their partners, and the wider community.

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ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET SUMMARY

$ Actual FY18

Expenditures FY19

Appropriation

Fire Prevention Fund (047) Personal Services $7,936,249 $9,884,800 Retirement $4,048,274 $4,962,300 Social Security $520,434 $651,200 Group Insurance $1,640,453 $2,832,000 Subtotal - Personal Services and Related $14,145,411 $18,330,300

Contractual Services $1,261,372 $1,150,100 Travel $89,435 $72,700 Commodities $79,233 $53,700 Printing $27,719 $19,600 Equipment $1,384,410 $602,200 Electronic Data Processing $1,759,556 $1,957,000 Telecommunications $336,872 $193,400 Operation of Automotive Equipment $140,681 $181,200 Refunds $655 $5,000 Subtotal - Other Operations $5,079,935 $4,234,900

Public Safety Shared Services Center $637,457 $679,900 Online Firefighter Certification Testing $649 $590,000 Subtotal - Lump Sums $638,106 $1,269,900

Chicago Firefighter Training Grant $2,747,000 $2,801,700 Cornerstone $0 $350,000 Explorer-Cadet School $0 $65,000 Firefighter Training Programs - Illinois Fire Service Institute $0 $230,000 Firefighter Training Reimbursement $950,000 $950,000 Hazmat Emergency Response Reimbursement $0 $10,000 Mutual Aid Box Alarm System $125,000 $125,000 New Fire District Grant $0 $500 Senior Officer Training $0 $55,000 Small Equipment Grant $2,289,921 $0 Subtotal - Grants $6,111,921 $4,587,200

Total - Fire Prevention Fund (047) $25,975,372 $28,422,300

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$ Actual FY18

Expenditures FY19

Appropriation Underground Storage Tank Fund (072) Personal Services $1,835,089 $1,992,400 Retirement $939,236 $1,018,100 Social Security $135,833 $150,900 Group Insurance $384,292 $624,000 Subtotal - Personal Services and Related $3,294,451 $3,785,400

Contractual Services $216,785 $231,800 Travel $8,242 $6,800 Commodities $4,175 $9,000 Printing $50 $3,500 Equipment $16,000 $92,000 Electronic Data Processing $9,994 $10,500 Telecommunications $19,795 $19,000 Operation of Automotive Equipment $37,761 $67,100 Refunds $3,100 $14,000 Subtotal - Other Operations $315,902 $453,700

Chicago Underground Storage Tank Program $550,000 $550,000 Subtotal - Grants $550,000 $550,000

Total - Underground Storage Tank Fund (072) $4,160,352 $4,789,100

Fire Fighter Memorial Fund (510) Firefighter Memorial Foundation and Fire Museum Maintenance $135,248 $300,000

Total - Fire Fighter Memorial Fund (510) $135,248 $300,000

Fire Prevention Division Fund (580) U.S. EPA Underground Storage Tank Program Grant $632,805 $1,000,000

Total - Fire Prevention Division Fund (580) $632,805 $1,000,000

TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $30,903,777 $34,511,400

General Funds $0 $0 Other State Funds $30,270,972 $33,511,400 Federal Funds $632,805 $1,000,000

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

STRATEGIC GOAL # 1:

IMPROVE STAFF COMPETENCY BY INVESTING IN THEM We will increase training opportunities for all OSFM staff and consequently achieve greater competency, expertise, and resiliency within our agency.

STRATEGIC GOAL # 2:

ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS We will increase our public outreach efforts and capitalize on those relationships with our industry partners and stakeholders.

STRATEGIC GOAL # 3:

INCREASE OUR PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICENCY We will reduce inefficiencies, adjust our staffing levels as necessary, and leverage Information Technology to our advantage.

STRATEGIC GOAL # 4:

ADVANCE PUBLIC SAFETY INTERESTS BY ASSESSING EMERGING THREATS AND VULNERABILITIES We will monitor and assess developing threats and weaknesses that impact fire prevention, life safety, and the Illinois Fire Service.

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STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

STRATEGIC GOAL # 1:

IMPROVE STAFF COMPETENCY BY INVESTING IN THEM

OBJECTIVES AND COURSES OF ACTION:

• 1.1 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Expand Training Opportunities in Order to Promote

Continued Competency, Expertise, and Resiliency. A competent workforce is essential

to our long term success. Within the next three years, we will offer more external and

internal training opportunities for our inspectors, investigators, lawyers, and support

staff. This will allow our staff to maintain and expand their technical expertise. We will

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support these efforts with sufficient funding and approved training time. We’ll also

increase intra-agency cross-training among our staff. This effort will advance our staff’s

professional development, ensure our resiliency and continuity of operations, and

strengthen our statewide emergency response capability.

• 1.2 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Establish an Agency Training Officer Role Within the Senior

Policy Advisor Position. A central point of contact is essential to realizing our proposed

training objectives. Accordingly, within the next three years we will recruit and hire a

Senior Policy Advisor who will also serve as the agency’s training officer (ATO). This

person will coordinate all agency staff training and work in conjunction with agency

division managers utilizing traditional and advanced training methods. This endeavor

will result in a comprehensive and uniform training program, thus ensuring a high level

of competency for all agency inspectors, investigators, and support staff.

• 1.3 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Establish a Field Training Officer Role within the Arson

Division. The OSFM will support our arson investigators by assessing current arson

investigation policy and procedures in order to enhance that division’s expertise and

capabilities. To accomplish this task, we will create a Field Training Officer (FTO) role

within a current Arson Investigator position. The FTO will schedule and coordinate all

arson and law enforcement specific training with the newly established Agency Training

Officer (ATO).

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STRATEGIC GOAL # 2:

ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS

OBJECTIVES AND COURSES OF ACTION:

• 2.1 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Expand Our Outreach Efforts by Creating a Common

Portal/Subscriber Service for Our Stakeholders. Our relationship is with the public and

the fire service. We must inform and notify our stakeholders about the full spectrum of

agency services that we offer. In order to accomplish this objective, we will coordinate

and leverage information technology. Therefore, within the next three years, we will

enhance our social media presence and agency website. We will create, operate, and

maintain a common portal-subscriber service for use by Illinois firefighters seeking

assistance and information or commercial businesses seeking regulatory information

and updates. This service could also provide information about agency programs and

initiatives.

• 2.2 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Increase Our Public Education Presence. Our fire

prevention mission is vital to public safety. Educating the public about fire prevention

and life safety is critical to our overall success. Therefore, within the next three years,

we will advance public fire prevention education by expanding our footprint in various

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geographical areas throughout the state with a notable focus on children and the

elderly located in the rural areas of Southern Illinois. In addition, we will promote our

Youth Fire-Setter Intervention Program by utilizing additional OSFM assets (such as our

Fire Certification Specialists of the Personnel Standards and Education Division) to

assist the Arson Division with this important agency initiative.

• 2.3 (Term: Mid 4-7 Years) Improve Conditions at the Illinois Fire Museum. The Illinois

Fire Museum provides a significant educational benefit to the public. The current

structure requires substantial improvement so that visitors can have a safe and

welcoming environment to learn about the evolution of the Illinois Fire Service and the

historical events which have guided fire prevention. Remodeling will also protect our

valuable historical artifacts. Therefore, within the next seven years, we will dedicate

and specifically earmark funds for improving the building.

• 2.4 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Improve Our Relations with Industry Stakeholders. Our

public stakeholders include various representatives from the petroleum and chemical

industry, boiler and pressure vessel industry, pyrotechnic industry, fire equipment

industry, fire sprinkler industry, and the elevator industry. We admire and encourage

them to express their opinions about industry subject matter because it helps us do our

job better. Therefore, within the next three years, we will attend more meetings,

symposiums, and conferences with industry stakeholders for the purpose of gleaning

their valuable insight and perspective. Maintaining these contacts will have a positive

impact on our agency’s regulatory agenda.

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• 2.5 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Advance Firefighter Training by Expediting the Advisory

Committee’s Standard Adoption Procedure. Firefighter support is another mission of

the OSFM. Our state firefighter certification program is one of the best in the country.

It is vitally important that the OSFM keep pace with evolving National Fire Protection

Association (NFPA) training standards. Therefore, within the next three years, we will

support our firefighter certification training program by revamping and expediting the

State Certification Advisory Committee’s (SCAC) standard adoption procedure. We’ll

work with the SCAC and increase the tempo of the process so that Illinois firefighters

are instructed and tested using the most current fire industry standards and

techniques.

• 2.6 (Term: Near 1-3) Enhance Firefighter Testing and Re-Certification by Leveraging

Technology. The OSFM has utilized traditional paper based state certification

examinations since the inception of the program. This process however consumes

valuable staffing and logistical resources. There is a tangible benefit associated with

operating in a paperless environment. Therefore, within the next three years, we will

completely transform our certification testing procedure by using an electronic

platform exclusively. We will also deploy and incorporate advanced user friendly

software technology in furtherance of firefighter re-certification training and tracking.

These efforts will substantially improve program efficiency, provide sustainability, and

improve the experience of the end-user.

• 2.7 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Establishing a Funding Stream that Specifically Focuses on

Firefighter Training for Rural and Volunteer Fire Departments. We would like to see all

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Illinois firefighters receive basic training regardless of their community’s budgetary

condition. Therefore, within the next three years, we’ll assess and develop alternative

methods to support funding for rural and volunteer firefighters who have not had an

opportunity to achieve state certification. We will seek to accomplish this without

compromising existing funding for other Illinois firefighter stakeholders.

• 2.8 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Strengthen Our Relationships with Our Legislative

Partners. We are a proactive public safety regulatory agency. It is therefore imperative

that we seek and maintain effective and meaningful bipartisan relations with our

legislative partners, including the Illinois Legislative Fire Caucus. Within the next three

years, we will strengthen existing, and build new, relationships with our elected state

officials. With their cooperation, and with the assistance of our excellent legal team,

we’ll introduce and support responsible legislation that advances fire prevention and

life safety within the State of Illinois.

• 2.9 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Improve Our Communication with the Public and Press. In

an effort to further the public safety message from the OSFM, we will hire a dedicated

Public Information Officer (PIO) to serve as the agency media spokesperson and

representative. We will accomplish this task within the next three years. This person

will respond to public requests for information and develop public awareness

campaigns about OSFM resources and initiatives. The PIO will work with our fire service

partners to inform and educate the public about fire prevention, agency events, and

our various safety programs. A dedicated agency PIO will ultimately enhance agency

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transparency and ensure an informative, consistent, and concise message from the

OSFM.

STRATEGIC GOAL # 3:

INCREASE OUR PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY

OBJECTIVES AND COURSES OF ACTION:

• 3.1 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Establish an Agency IT Liaison Coordinator Position. As a

public safety agency, our unique information technology (IT) infrastructure must be

robust, resilient, and operational on a 24/7 basis. Therefore, within the next three

years, we will hire an agency IT Liaison Coordinator to assist Department of Innovation

and Technology (DoIT) personnel with our specifically tailored needs. This action will

also enhance our National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) tracking capabilities.

• 3.2 (Term: Mid 4-7 Years) Completely Transform Our Agency Licensing Capabilities

Utilizing Information Technology. Within seven years, we will expand and transform all

agency licensing capabilities within each division utilizing available IT personnel and

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advanced software. This achievement will reduce license approval delays, and

consequently solidify our relationship with industry stakeholders and improve

customer service.

• 3.3 (Term: Mid 4-7 Years) Increase Number of Arson Accelerant Detection Dog (K-9)

Teams. Within the next seven years, we will recruit, train, and deploy additional Arson

K-9 teams to meet the requests of our local fire and law enforcement partners. These

specialized investigative teams are in high demand and will remain so for the

foreseeable future. Therefore, we plan to increase these teams by 25%. Accomplishing

this effort will reduce investigator travel times and optimize our forensic ability to

collect evidence before degradation or spoliation occurs at the crime scene.

• 3.4 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Assess the Use of Third Party Inspectors at Schools. We

want to achieve and sustain a 100% inspection rate for all Illinois public and private

schools. To accomplish this objective, we’ll need the cooperation of our local fire

service partners. Therefore, within the next three years, we’ll reassess the Tier 1 and

Tier 2 Inspector program, and make modifications where necessary in a manner that

does not diminish the quality of the inspection services that are currently being

provided within our schools. We will assess the feasibility of establishing incentives for

increased local participation in the program such as offering fire prevention

promotional items to volunteers and providing point consideration to OSFM grant

applicants. These efforts could ultimately translate into more school inspector boots on

the ground and serve as a direct link to the statewide Community Risk Reduction (CRR)

initiative. This is how we achieve synergy.

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• 3.5 (Term: Mid 4-7 Years) Advance Our Revolving Loan Programs So That They

Operate on a Self-Sustaining Basis. The ability to purchase fire trucks, ambulances, and

construct fire stations remains a major fiscal challenge for most local governments

within the State of Illinois. We offer zero and low interest revolving loan programs to

assist local communities in acquiring such assets. Participation in the OSFM revolving

loan programs remains robust. While funding for these programs partially comes from

the Fire Prevention Fund, all of the revolving loan programs are designed to be self-

sustaining. This status is accomplished when loan repayments from the total number

of outstanding loans granted provide sufficient funds to allow the programs to operate

on a 100% self-sustaining basis. We will endeavor to accomplish this objective within

the next seven years. Within this same time frame, we will fund the fire station

construction loan program to assist those communities that do not have the financial

capital to construct or replace badly needed fire stations. It is our privilege to help the

Illinois Fire Service in this manner.

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STRATEGIC GOAL # 4:

ADVANCE PUBLIC SAFETY INTERESTS BY ASSESSING EMERGING THREATS AND VULNERABILITIES

OBJECTIVES AND COURSES OF ACTION:

• 4.1 (Term: Near 1-3 Years) Update the State Fire Prevention and Life Safety Code.

Our current code, the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 101 Life Safety

Code (2000 edition), is simply outdated and does not adequately address the

technological advancements that have been made since we adopted that code edition

back in 2002. The OSFM considers this objective a priority agency issue. Therefore,

within the next year, we will introduce a revised 2015 edition of the Life Safety Code to

the Illinois Legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), and we’ll seek

formal adoption of that updated code at the earliest possible date. This action will

move our fire prevention regulations back in line with current industry standards,

reduce vulnerabilities, and advance our overall public safety mission.

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• 4.2 (Term: Mid 4-7 Years) Monitor and Assess Developing Threats That Impact Life

Safety and the Fire Service. We at the OSFM operate in the present, but always look to

the future. Therefore, we will continue to assess and review relevant threats and

vulnerabilities that could directly impact public safety and our Illinois firefighters. These

threats range from active shooter events in our schools to arson being used as a tool of

terrorism by homegrown extremists. We will support valuable firefighter cancer

research like that being conducted at the Illinois Fire Service Institute, and provide

equipment to assist firefighters employ newly developed hygiene protocols. We will

continue to strengthen our response capability to natural and man-made disasters by

participating in training exercises with our Illinois Emergency Management Agency

(IEMA) partners and by serving at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)

during times of crisis. We will improve our relationship with members of the Illinois

Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) and expand our fire intelligence capabilities with the

Statewide Terrorism & Intelligence Center (STIC). Within seven years, we will benefit

from those experiences with an agency workforce that will be 100% ready to sustain

continuity of operations over an extended period of time irrespective of the

operational landscape.

• 4.3 (Term: Long 8-10 Years) Evaluate and Monitor the State’s Underground Gasoline

Storage Tank Infrastructure. The OSFM Petroleum and Chemical Safety Division (PC&S)

will continue to assess the state’s underground storage tank (UST) infrastructure,

focusing particularly on the condition of those older single walled leaking tanks which,

if left unchecked, can cause significant environmental contamination or catastrophic

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explosions resulting in death or serious bodily injury to Illinoisans and visitors alike.

Through diligent monitoring activity we will mitigate the risk. These efforts will

undoubtedly advance the state’s public safety interests.

• 4.4 (Term: Mid 4-7 Years) Reassess Agency Staffing Levels In Order to Meet Existing

Mandates and Potential Challenges. We want a workforce that can sustain our

operational tempo today and tomorrow. Therefore, within the next seven years, we

will assess agency staffing levels in order to address the current plethora of legislative

mandates as well as the emerging challenges that we will face in the future. In addition

to adding more staff to our ranks, we will consider other creative ways to best utilize

our existing workforce such as aligning or consolidating specific agency assets, and

entering into Inter-governmental Agreements (IGA) with partner state agencies. By

fulfilling this objective, we will reduce inspection delays, solve more arson crimes, and

promote a realistic span of control for our supervisory staff.

CONCLUSION

This strategic plan will serve as a roadmap for OSFM executives, managers, and staff to follow

as we move forward in the coming years. We will review this plan annually to ensure that our

agency remains on track with the stated objectives and goals. This is a living and breathing

document. It is not designed to stagnate innovation or suppress new ideas that may advance

the public safety interests of our agency. To reiterate, we encourage critical thinking and

creativity. We are confident that the objectives and goals set forth in this document will be

achieved because our true strength lies in our dedicated staff…the quiet professionals of the

OSFM.